SMFS Agatha Award Nominees 2018

Established in 1989, Malice Domestic™ is an annual fan convention in the metropolitan Washington D.C. area that celebrates the traditional mystery, best typified by the works of Agatha Christie, containing no explicit sex, excessive gore, or violence. Malice Domestic 31 (May 3-5, 2019) sees six SMFS members up for an Agatha Award in three different categories.

In the Best Short Story category this year there are four members that are nominated. Those members are:

Leslie Budewitz  for “All God’s Sparrows” in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine: May/June 2018.

Barb Goffman for “Bug Appetit” in  Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine: November/December 2018.

Tara Laskowski for “The Case of the Vanishing Professor” in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine: May/June 2018.

Art Taylor for “English 398: Fiction Workshop” in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine: July/August 2018.

We also have members up for Agatha Awards for longer works. Those members are:

Bruce Robert Coffin is up for the Agatha Award in the Best Contemporary Novel category for Beyond the Truth.

Edith Maxwell is up for the Agatha Award in the Best Historical Novel category for Turning the Tide.

SMFS salutes our members on this honor and wishes them all the best as they represent SMFS at Malice Domestic.

SleuthSayers: Besty McBestface 2018 by Robert Lopresti

SleuthSayers: Besty McBestface 2018: by Robert Lopresti I was somewhat surprised to discover that this is my tenth annual list of the best short mysteries of the year, as de...

SMFS Member Publication News: John M. Floyd

SMFS list member John M. Floyd has another mystery short story appearing in the Woman’s World Magazine. His latest mystery short story, “The Robin Hood Case” is in the current issue (February 4, 2019) of  Woman’s World Magazine. The publication is available on some newsstands and by subscription.

Members are reminded that Mr. Floyd shared in his piece at SleuthSayers Blog how he goes about writing short stories for this market. Well worth reading, especially if you are looking to break into this market.

A Short Walk Down A Dark Street: Issue 37

As posted by SMFS list member Peter DiChellis to our list tonight….

Dying for action? This week’s blog packs a punch, with links to a medley of deadly reviews, releases, free stories, and more.

Includes two reviews of Lee Child’s collection of Jack Reacher stories. (BAMS 2018 selected a story from this collection.)

Plus, a link to the best list of how-to writing tips ever (and I’ve seen a lot of ‘em). Hat tip to Sandra Seamans for finding this link.

A short walk down a dark street (#37): What’s fresh, what’s famous, and what’s fiendish in short mystery and crime fiction.

https://shortwalkdarkstreet.wordpress.com/2019/01/27/short-walk-37/

Best wishes,

Peter

SMFS Members Published in Black Cat Mystery Magazine: Issue Four

Seven SMFS list members are published in Black Cat Mystery Magazine: Issue Four. The read is available from the publisher, Wildside Press, as well as in print and digital formats at Amazon and elsewhere. The members in this issue are:

Michael Bracken with “Something Fishy.”

Dayle A. Dermatis with “Umberto Scolari And The Feast Of Paradise.”

Su Kopil with “Mud Season.”

Julie Leo with "Use Of The Awkward Hand."

Steve Liskow with “Messin’ With The Kid.”

Ramona DeFlice Long with “Moe’s Seafood House.”

Alan Orloff with “Inseparable, Insufferable.”

Synopsis:

Black Cat Mystery Magazine is a new journal devoted to the best in mystery short fiction. Crime? Noir? Cozy? Private eye? You'll find all genres present and accounted for--with new tales by the best writers of today! The fourth issue features the following lineup:

SOMETHING FISHY, by Michael Bracken
INSEPARABLE, INSUFFERABLE, by Alan Orloff
USE OF THE AWKWARD HAND, by Julie Leo
UMBERTO SCOLARI AND THE FEAST OF PARADISE, by Dayle A. Dermatis
MOE'S SEAFOOD HOUSE, by Ramona DeFelice Long
MUD SEASON, by Su Kopil
MESSIN' WITH THE KID, by Steve Liskow
ASSASSIN'S SCROLL, by Tais Teng
TROUBLE IN MIND, by Cynthia Ward

Plus a bonus poem: THE TIMELINE MURDERS, by Janet Fox

SMFS Short Story Saturdays: Peter DiChellis

Each May SMFS celebrates, as we do each year, International Short Story Month. The May 2018 celebration led to the creation of the weekly short story segment--SMFS Short Story Saturdays. Each Saturday we feature a SMFS list member whose work can be read online for free. These short stories are at least a year old and were not previously linked to during the May 2018 Short Story Month event.

Today for SMFS Short Story Saturdays, Peter DiChellis shares his 2015 short story, “Mysterious Private Investigations” archived online at the now defunct Plan B Magazine. The story previously appeared in The Shamus Sampler and serves as a prequel of sorts to Mr. DiChellis’ short story, “With Cunning Wickedness” which appeared here on the SMFS blog for December 1, 2018.

If you would like to be included and are a member of the SMFS list at yahoo groups, email the link to your story to KevinRTipple at Verizon dot net. If you are not a member, this would be a good time to check us out at Yahoo Groups.

SMFS Member Publication News: John M. Floyd

SMFS list member John M. Floyd’s short story, “The Garden Club” appears in the January 23, 2019 issue of the newsletter SEEDS. Part of the magazine Texas Gardener, the newsletter is published online each week and is free to read by all. The January 23, 2019 issue is here.

SMFS Member Art Taylor--2019 Edgar Award Nominee

Earlier this week, Mystery Writers of America officially announced their list of nominees for the 2019 Edgar Awards to be presented at their gala on the evening of April 25, 2019 in New York City. A complete list of all the categories and their nominees can be found at the MWA announcement page.

We of the SMFS are pleased to announce that SMFS list member Art Taylor has been nominated in the BEST SHORT STORY category for his piece, “English 398: Fiction Workshop” which appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine: July/August 2018 issue. Mr. Taylor shared the inspiration behind the story in his post on the Sleuthsayers Blog last June and analyzed what he was doing by way of a post on The First Two Pages that also appeared last June. You can read the story by way of a PDF over at Mr. Taylor’s website.

Little Big Crimes Review: It Follows Until It Leads by Dillon Kaiser

Little Big Crimes: It Follows Until It Leads, by Dillon Kaiser: "It Follows Until It Leads," by Dillon Kaiser, in Santa Cruz Noir, edited by Susie Bright, Akashic Press, 2018. We are very no...

SleuthSayers: I've Crossed A Line -- Warning: Rated X for Explet...

SleuthSayers: I've Crossed A Line -- Warning: Rated X for Explet...: by Barb Goffman You can take the girl out of New York, but you can't take the New York out of the girl. That's my explanation fo...

A Short Walk Down A Dark Street: Issue 36

As posted by SMFS list member Peter DiChellis to our list…

Prowling around for a good time? This week’s blog gives it up, with links to a raft of wicked reviews, releases, free stories, and more.

Includes a link to author and editor Richard Thomas on how to put together a collection of your stories.

A short walk down a dark street (#36): What’s fresh, what’s famous, and what’s fiendish in short mystery and crime fiction.

https://shortwalkdarkstreet.wordpress.com/2019/01/21/short-walk-36/

Best wishes,

Peter

SleuthSayers: For Fun or for Profit? by John M. Floyd

SleuthSayers: For Fun or for Profit?: by John M. Floyd In a discussion with some fellow short-story writer friends several weeks ago, a familiar question was asked: How m...

SMFS Members Published in The Digest Enthusiast #9

Two SMFS list members have short stories in the recently published The Digest Enthusiast #9. Published by Larque Press, the read is available in print and eBook formats from Amazon. The two SMFS list members are:

Michael Bracken with “Split Decision.”

Josh Pachter with the second part of “The Defenestration of Prague.”

Synopsis:

Interviews• Filmmaker and author Susan Emshwiller reveals the inside story on her films, the work of her parents, Ed Emshwiller and Carol Emshwiller, along with nearly two dozen rare photographs of her famous family.• Senior Art Director Victoria Green takes us behind the scenes of the art department at AHMM, Analog, Asimov’s, and EQMM, complemented by artist’s confidentials from Tim Foley and Maurizio Manzieri.Articles• Vince Nowell, Sr. charts Ray Palmer’s digest dynasty from 1948 to 1958, followed by the bibliography of S.J. Byrne, one of Palmer’s go-to SF storytellers.• Tom Brinkmann uncovers Benedict Canyon, where Elke Sommer and Joe Hyams joined “A Neighborhood of Ghosts” from 1964 to 1969.• Steve Carper wraps “One-and-Dones” with a final, fascinating batch of obscure and/or rare collector’s treasures.• Peter Enfantino delivers a story-by-story synopsis of Manhunt from January thru June 1954. Plus a report on the rare western digest paperback, Sunset Showdown by Steve Frazee.Fiction• Crime, espionage, and fantasy fiction by Michael Bracken, Josh Pachter, and Joe Wehrle, Jr., with art from Marc Myers, Michael Neno, and Joe.Also includes• News from all your favorite genre digest magazines, straight from their editors’ lips, including every newsstand stalwart, and the new generation of POD/digital stars.• In-depth reviews of EconoClash Review, Nostalgia Digest, Occult Detective Quarterly, and Hot Lead.• Plus over 100 digest magazine cover images, cartoons by Bob Vojtko and Clark Dissmeyer, first issue factoids, and more.• Cover by Ed Emshwiller,

SMFS Short Story Saturdays: Gail Farrelly

Each May SMFS celebrates, as we do each year, International Short Story Month. The May 2018 celebration led to the creation of the weekly short story segment--SMFS Short Story Saturdays. Each Saturday we feature a SMFS list member whose work can be read online for free. These short stories are at least a year old and were not previously linked to during the May 2018 Short Story Month event.

Today for SMFS Short Story Saturdays, Gail Farrelly shares her 2013 short story, “Don’t forget To Take Your Vitamins” archived at Kings River Life Magazine.

If you would like to be included and are a member of the SMFS list at yahoo groups, email the link to your story to KevinRTipple at Verizon dot net. If you are not a member, this would be a good time to check us out at Yahoo Groups.

Victoria Weisfeld: Resurrection on the Cutting-Room Floor

Victoria Weisfeld: Resurrection on the Cutting-Room Floor

SleuthSayers: Ellery and I by Robert Lopresti

SleuthSayers: Ellery and I: by Robert Lopresti This is going to be a short one because I don't have a lot to say.  What I don't have a lot to say about  i...

Victoria Weisfeld: *****Best American Mystery Stories – 2018

Victoria Weisfeld: *****Best American Mystery Stories – 2018

SMFS Members Published in Pop the Clutch: Thrilling Tales of Rockabilly, Monsters, and Hot Rod Horror

Two SMFS list members have short stories in the just released anthology, Pop the Clutch: Thrilling Tales of Rockabilly, Monsters, and Hot Rod Horror. Published by Dark Moon Books, the read is available in hardback and paperback formats as well as digital from Amazon and other vendors. The two SMFS members in the anthology are:

John M. Floyd with “The Starlite Drive-In.”

Gary Phillips with “The Demon of the Track.”

Synopsis:

Welcome to the cool side of the 1950s, where the fast cars and revved-up movie monsters peel out in the night. Where outlaw vixens and jukebox tramps square off with razorblades and lead pipes. Where rockers rock, cool cats strut, and hot rods roar. Where you howl to the moon as the tiki drums pound and the electric guitar shrieks and that spit-and-holler jamboree ain't gonna stop for a long, long time . . . maybe never.

This is the '50s where ghost shows still travel the back roads of the south, and rockabilly has a hold on the nation's youth; where lucky hearts tell the tale, and maybe that fella in the Shriners' fez ain't so square after all. Where exist noir detectives of the supernatural, tattoo artists of another kind, Hollywood fix-it men, and a punk kid with grasshopper arms under his chain-studded jacket and an icy stare on his face.

This is the '50s of Pop the Clutch: Thrilling Tales of Rockabilly, Monsters, and Hot Rod Horror. This is your ticket to the dark side of American kitsch . . . the fun and frightful side!

Table of Contents includes:

"The Golden Girls of Fall" by Seanan McGuire
"Sea Lords of the Columbia" by Weston Ochse
"Tremble" by Kasey Lansdale and Joe R. Lansdale
"The Demon of the Track" by Gary Phillips
"Outlawed Ink" by Jason Starr
"We Might Be Giants" by Nancy Holder
"Universal Monster" by Duane Swierczynski
"Draggers" by David J. Schow
"The Starlite Drive-In" by John M. Floyd
"Dr. Morbismo's InsaniTERRORium Horror Show" by Lisa Morton
"Hot Babe" by Bill Pronzini
"The Prom Tree" by Yvonne Navarro
"I'm with the Band" by Steve Perry
"Mystery Train: An Arcane Investigation" by Max Allan Collins and Matthew V. Clemens
"Lab Experiment Turf War" by Jeff Strand
"The She-Creature" by Amelia Beamer
"Fish out of Water" by Will Viharo
"I Was a Teenage Shroom Fiend" by Brian Hodge

Little Big Crimes Review: Treasure island by Micah Perks

Little Big Crimes: Treasure island, by Micah Perks: "Treasure island," by Micah Perks, in Santa Cruz Noir, edited by Susie Bright, Akashic Press, 2018. I admit I may be prejudi...

A Short Walk Down A Dark Street: Issue 35

As posted by SMFS list member Peter DiChellis to our list…

Looking for trouble? This week’s blog delivers a truckload, with links to a sinister selection of reviews, releases, free stories, and more.

Includes a link to Ben Boulden (Gravetapping blog and Mystery Scene Magazine) naming his six favorite mystery and crime stories of 2018. Plus, everything you ever wanted to know about creating angry characters.

A short walk down a dark street (#35): What’s fresh, what’s famous, and what’s fiendish in short mystery and crime fiction.

https://shortwalkdarkstreet.wordpress.com/2019/01/14/short-walk-35/

Best wishes,

Peter

SMFS Members Published in Flash Bang Mysteries: Winter 2019 (Issue14)

The just released Flash Bang Mysteries: Winter 2019 (issue14) is an all SMFS member issue as the read features works from five SMFS members. The five members are:

Patricia Dusenbury with “Trust Me.”

Barb Goffman with “Punching Bag” which is the cover story as well as Editors’ Choice story.

BV Lawson with “Inflammatory Rhetoric.”

R. T. Lawton with “Homework.”

Jacqueline Seewald with “Black Flies.”

The Five-Two: Robert Weibezahl

The Five-Two: Robert Weibezahl: BORDERLINE: AN ELEGY the shooting at the bar leaves twelve dreams dead thirteen if you choose to count the gunman as journalists descend...

SleuthSayers: Stick to the Path? Wander A Little? (On short stor...

SleuthSayers: Stick to the Path? Wander A Little? (On short stor...: By Art Taylor In a little over a week, the new semester begins at George Mason University, and I’ll be leading an Advanced Fiction Worksh...

SMFS Short Story Saturdays: Jim Doherty

Back in May SMFS celebrated, as we do each year, International Short Story Month. The celebration led to the creation of the weekly short story segment SMFS Short Story Saturdays. Each Saturday we feature a SMFS list member whose work can be read online for free. These short stories are at least a year old and were not previously linked to during the May 2018 Short Story Month event.

Today for SMFS Short Story Saturdays, Jim Doherty shares two stories that feature his series  character, peripatetic cop Dan Sullivan, who's also the lead in his novel, An Obscure Grave. They should be read in order as they feature Dan at different points of his career. Both stories were award winners in the contests they were written for several years ago.

First up is “Stench” archived at Mysterical-E. Please note that at some point during a site update or something, all the quotation marks in the story were replaced with diamond shaped question marks. Read accordingly.

Second is “Death and Taxes” archived at Over My Dead Body!

If you would like to be included and are a member of the SMFS list at yahoo groups, email the link to your story to KevinRTipple at Verizon dot net. If you are not a member, this would be a good time to check us out at Yahoo Groups.

Melina Druga: An Interview with Author J. R. Lindermuth

Melina Druga: An Interview with Author J. R. Lindermuth 

The First Two Pages: “The Cardboard Box” by Terence Faherty

The First Two Pages: “The Cardboard Box” by Terence Faherty

SleuthSayers: Looking Backward, Looking Forward by Michael Bracken

SleuthSayers: Looking Backward, Looking Forward: By Michael Bracken To steal and mangle some other writer’s most famous opening line: My dual career in 2018 was the best of times and the ...

Little Big Crimes Review: Milquetoast by Olaf Kroneman

Little Big Crimes: Milquetoast, by Olaf Kroneman: "Milquetoast," by Olaf Kroneman, in  The Strand Magazine, October 2018/January 2019. Chances are you have met someone a bit l...

A Short Walk Down A Dark Street: Issue 34

As posted by Peter DiChellis to our list…

Need a quick buzz? This week’s blog brings it on, with links to a dangerous dose of reviews, releases, free stories, and more.

Includes links to editor Eric Lindbom on the kind of submissions he wants for Trigger Warning: Short Fiction With Pictures and to Sandra Seamans' annual summary of coming and goings in short mystery and crime fiction markets.

A short walk down a dark street (#34)

https://shortwalkdarkstreet.wordpress.com/2019/01/06/short-walk-34/

Best wishes,

Peter

SleuthSayers: Short Memories: 2018 in Review by John M. Floyd

SleuthSayers: Short Memories: 2018 in Review: by John M. Floyd Happy New Year! I realize I'm a little late, and that the new year's almost a week old now--but since it's...

SMFS Member Publishing News: Michael Guillebeau

SMFS list member Michael Guillebeau’s short story, “The Body That’s Not” appears in today issue of Kings River Life Magazine. You can read it online here.

SMFS Short Story Saturdays: Elizabeth Zelvin

Back in May SMFS celebrated, as we do each year, International Short Story Month. The celebration led to the creation of the weekly short story segment SMFS Short Story Saturdays. Each Saturday we feature a SMFS list member whose work can be read online for free. These short stories are at least a year old and were not previously linked to during the May 2018 Short Story Month event.

For SMFS Short Story Saturdays today, Elizabeth Zelvin shares the short story, “A Breach of Trust” archived at Mysterical-E. 

If you would like to be included and are a member of the SMFS list at yahoo groups, email the link to your story to KevinRTipple at Verizon dot net. If you are not a member, this would be a good time to check us out at Yahoo Groups.

Catherine Dilts Reviews: Short Story Reviews: Use of Multiple POV

Catherine Dilts Reviews:  Short Story Reviews: Use of Multiple POV

SMFS Member Publication News: Bruce Harris

SMFS list member Bruce Harris’ short story, “Gunned Down” appears in the just released Mystery Weekly Magazine: January 2019 issue. Amazon has the issue available in print and  digital formats as does the publisher and other vendors.

SMFS Member Honored: Debra Goldstein

SMFS list member Debra Goldstein sends word that she is mentioned in the same January 7, 2019 issue of Woman’s World that features John M. Floyd’s mystery short story, “Poetic Justice.” In her case, they have highlighted her recently published book, One Taste Too Many as a pick in their “Woman’s World Book Club Best New Books.” More about her book can be found in the December 18, 2018 news posting here.

2019 Derringer Submissions

All,

I am going to follow the submission format that we have used in the recent past.  I would like to reformat as few submissions as possible and get them into the judges hands quickly. 

The 2019 Derringer competition uses the following standard layout linked below. 

William Shunn : Manuscript Format : Short Story

Please use .doc (not .docx) file type and Times New Roman 12-point font for your submission file.  Please include the number of words in your submission as shown in the format.

Please remove all of your personal information from the ms. Any personal information found will be stripped from the ms before it is placed into judges' packages.

If any format adjustments need to be made, you will be contacted ASAP.

Include your personal information in your submission email, including when and where the submission was published.   

Submissions will be taken for 30 days:  January 1 through January 30, 2019.  I would like to provide the submission judging packages to the judges on Jan 31st.  

When submitting your stories, please include " [Derringers]" somewhere in the subject line.  This will make it easy to spot your submission so that nothing is lost.  

Email submissions to "Tony.Rudzki [at] gmail.com". 

For more about who and what stories are eligible for the 2019 Derringers, see Derringer Awards Policy.